2014-15 NHL season preview: Toronto Maple Leafs
This 2014-15 NHL season preview features the Toronto Maple Leafs.
What was Stanley Cup worthy in 2013-14?
The one that clicked well for the Leafs last season was the powerplay, converting on 19.8% of their chances and finishing 6th in the NHL.
A big part of the success with the man advantage was the continued evolution of James Van Riemsdyk. He led the Maple Leafs with 9 powerplay goals and finally started to show the power-forward potential that made him a second overall pick. He scored 30 goals overall, and his career-high 61 points were good for second on the team.
The team’s unquestioned leader offensively was once again Phil Kessel. He’s scored at a 30-goal pace in each of the last six seasons (20 in 48 games in 2012-13). His 37 goals tied his career-high and was the most on the team. He also led Toronto in assists and points, marking the third consecutive season he’s led the team in all three categories. He also scored 29 of his goals at even strength; only Corey Perry had more (35).
If Tyler Bozak had stayed healthy last season, he would’ve had a season worthy of the first line centre the Leafs have been lacking since the days of Mats Sundin. His 49 points in 58 games would translate to about 69 points over a full season. He also set career-highs in +/- (+3) and ice-time (20:57).
Mason Raymond effectively resurrected his career in Toronto last season, scoring 19 goals and 45 points, his highest totals since 2009-10. More importantly, he supplied the kind of secondary offense that helps take some pressure off Phil Kessel.
Finally, for a team that has had its fair share of goaltending troubles in recent seasons, Jonathan Bernier was able to give fans and the organization hope for the future. In 55 games, he posted a 26-19-7 record with a .922 save percentage in his first year as a starter. Considering he faced an average of nearly 35 shots per game, even his 2.70 goals-against-average seems quite remarkable.
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Eyes On Isles
What was draft lottery worthy in 2013-14?
There was lots to complain about in Toronto last season. After going 14-8-1 to start the season, the Maple Leafs fell apart in every conceivable way. They finished 26th in goals against (3.07), 22nd in 5-on-5 scoring (0.92), 28th in penalty killing (78.4%), 25th in shots for (27.9) and dead last in shots allowed (35.9).
Former Devil David Clarkson was signed to a massive seven-year deal with an annual cap hit of 5.25 million, and simply did not deliver even close to fair value in the first year of that deal. The former 30-goal scorer managed just five goals and six assists in the 60 games he played and converted on an absolutely abysmal 4.9% of his shots on goal.
The other big off-season acquisition was supposed to be centre Dave Bolland, but things never quite got off the ground for him in his hometown. He started the season well enough with 10 points in 15 games, but he got injured and didn’t seem quite like the same player upon his return, ending the season with just two points in his final eight games.
After scoring 29 points in 45 games, many thought Cody Franson had finally turned the corner. He struggled to find the same consistency last season however and finished with just four more points, despite playing in 79 games. He also posted a team-low -20.
So what did they do to get better?
Unlike last season, the additions Toronto made this off-season were low-cost, low-risk additions that have high-reward potential.
There is perhaps no better illustration of this than David Booth. The former Panther and Canuck was once a bright, up-and-coming forward in the NHL before concussions ravaged his career. He still has explosive skating ability however, and if he could ever regain some of what made him a 30-goal man, the Leafs could have a steal on their hands at 1.1 million.
Joining him up front will be former Leaf Leo Komarov. He played 42 games and scored nine points with Toronto before bolting for the KHL. With Moscow Dynamo, he put up 34 points in 52 games last season. He signed a four-year deal worth just under 12 million dollars this summer and will bring a good bit of grit to the Leafs’ bottom six.
Speaking of KHL players, Petri Kontiola had a similarly productive season there last year with 37 points in 53 games. The former Chicago Blackhawk was signed to a one-year deal worth 1.1 million and is an interesting player in that he has the skill to play in the NHL, but many have questions about his heart.
Daniel Winnik is another bottom-six type winger who will bring grit and playoff experience to a Maple Leafs lineup lacking in both. He’s also shown the ability to play with good players in short spurts in the past and is coming off a career-best 30 points in 76 games with Anaheim.
On defense, Toronto will again rely on a top three of Dion Phaneuf, Jake Gardiner and Cody Franson, but the additions of veterans Stephane Robidas and Roman Polak add a good bit of experience and defensive awareness to a group that really needs to start limiting the number of shots they allow.
Player to watch
In his last season at the University of Wisconsin, Jake Gardiner finished with more assists than highly touted Justin Schultz, who subsequently was chased by every single team as an unrestricted free agent as if his name was Bobby Orr.
That tells you what kind of offensive skill Gardiner has. He scored a career-high 10 goals to go with 31 points in 80 games last season, but the potential is certainly there for much more.
He’s an excellent puck mover and can really skate. Look for him to take a big step forward this season and come close to 45 points.
"things don’t look a ton better this year."
They will make the playoffs if…
They can sustain the full team effort they showed early on last season.
They will miss the playoffs if…
They can’t get full seasons from someone other than Phil Kessel in their top six. The departed Dave Bolland, Bozak, Joffrey Lupul and David Clarkson all missed significant time last season, thrusting players into roles they simply weren’t equipped to play.
What should we expect this season?
With Toronto, it seems making the playoffs is a victory as of late. They’ve made the post-season once in their last nine seasons, and things don’t look a ton better this year.
They certainly added experience and grit, but the jury is still out on whether they have enough top-end talent to beat out at least eight other teams in the Eastern Conference.
While they didn’t lose any big names, it could be argued that the additions they made merely cancel out the subtractions without necessarily making them better.
Prediction
38-34-10 86 points, 6th in the Atlantic Division, 12th in the Eastern Conference